Kobayashi linked to Grosjean's seat

Kamui Kobayashi could be off to Lotus next season replacing Romain Grosjean as the team seeks a more 'stable' driver...

Kamui Kobayashi could be off to Lotus next season replacing Romain Grosjean as the team seeks a more 'stable' driver.

A stellar season for Lotus saw lead driver Kimi Raikkonen claim the Abu Dhabi race win and also finish third in the Drivers' Championship.

But it is the team's finishing position in the Constructors' Championship that really counts as that determines how much money they are awarded at the end of the season. Lotus finished fourth, which is reportedly ten million US dollars less than third.

As Lotus' Gerald Lopez explained to Finland's Turun Sanomat: "Kimi comes at a cost to us, but on the other hand he helps us to more successful in the manufacturers' standings, bringing even more money to the team."

Grosjean, though, comes at a cost to the team as the Frenchman netted less than half Raikkonen's 207 points, largely due to his own errors and his Italian GP ban.

As such, Lotus are believed to be looking around with Kobayashi linked to the team in what Lotus reportedly believe would be a "stable partnership".

Kobayashi, who has started a website to raise sponsorship, was left without a 2013 race seat after Sauber opted to sign Esteban Gutierrez as Nico Hulkenberg's team-mate.